Carl Hester pulled off a superb hat-trick at the ICE Horseboxes All England Dressage Festival, Hickstead, with two international wins – and a grand prix victory for his faithful campaigner En Vogue, back in action after a year off.
Carl admitted he is “not the keenest competitor in the world”, but the sun was shining over Hickstead, he enjoyed himself and his horses went beautifully, so he was happy. He won the CDI3* grand prix and grand prix special on his relatively new ride Fame, and the Premier League grand prix on his Olympic and Europeans ride En Vogue.
This was the first competition since March 2022 for 14-year-old En Vogue, with whom Carl won Olympic team bronze and European team silver in 2021. He was ruled out of last year’s world championships after he picked up an injury, but has been back in work since December, although Carl waited for the outdoor season to compete him.
“Vogue feels great,” Carl said. “He’s like old shoes to me, I know him so well. I’ve been building him back up very slowly and could have done an international but thought if he does well in one – what he’s done for me, considering his temperament as he’s a nervous horse; he’s done me, his owners and Charlotte [Dujardin] so proud.”
Carl and Fame, who have been together less than six months, scored 76.33% to take the CDI3* grand prix, then 75.47% to win the special, finishing nearly 6% ahead of second-placed Laura Tomlinson and DSP Rose Of Bavaria.
“He loved that,” Carl said, fresh from the special prize-giving. “It’s so nice for him to finish like that and be relaxed.”
The 13-year-old Bordeaux stallion, owned by Fiona, Mette and Penny Bigwood and Anders Dahl, had a couple of enthusiastic moments in the special, which Carl put down to his grand prix practice.
“Everything was in the left passage,” he said. “I’ve been so busy practising the grand prix, and in that it’s left passage to canter so he kept thinking, ‘When are we cantering?’ It was just because he was trying. He’s stunning to look at and stunningly talented, he’s got it all.
“Yesterday [Saturday], I couldn’t let go and today he had the rideability. He’s just such a cool horse to ride, he loves his life and I love him.”
Carl said he will “wait and see” as to which of the two boys he campaigns for the Europeans this summer.
“They’re both fun to ride and I wouldn’t mind which I took,” he said. “It will be a shame to leave the other one at home as they both deserve it.”
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